Hug
by TillyRose
Summary: A Dean and Sam kiddie moment... rated how it is just to be safe


"Sammy…Sammy, wake up…wake up Sammy. C'mon, let's go outside."

Sam Winchester opened his brown six year-old eyes and looked blearily up at his brother.

"What's wrong Dean?" he whispered, glancing around.

"Nothing Sammy. C'mon get up. I got a surprise for you."

"Really? What is it?"

"Well I can't tell you doofus, 'cause then it wouldn't be a surprise. Hurry up. And be quiet, we don't want to wake dad."

"Okay Dean." He whispered meaningfully, nodding.

He swung his long legs over the side of the bed. He looked silently around the dingy hotel room. Their father was snoring softly in the single bed across the room from him. Sam and Dean shared the double bed after pleading with their father when they first arrived in town.

Sam looked up at his sibling by the door, who was silently hopping from foot to foot; pure excitement plastered across the ten year-old's face.

Slipping to the floor, Sam quickly pulled his pyjamas off and dressed in his day-wear. A pair of Dean's old denims; fastened around his waist with a thick leather belt and cut off at the bottom so his feet could be seen. Over his favourite Mickey Mouse t-shirt he yanked on a hoodie, also much too big for him. He slipped his feet into his hiking boots and expertly tied the laces in perfect bows.

Dean rolled his eyes. Sammy had always been a quick learner and did very well in school.

He grabbed Sammy's hand and pulled him to the door. As quietly as they could the two boys unlatched the locks on the door. The old door creaked as Dean pulled it open. Their dad shifted in his sleep but didn't rouse, and the two Winchester sons breathed sighs of relief. They slipped out into the chilly morning air, shutting the door behind them.

"Where are we going, Dean?"

"Come on, follow me!" Dean cried and ran off across the deserted parking lot to the line of trees that bordered the motel property and the start of the pine forest.

"Come on slowpoke!" yelled Dean through cupped hands.

Sam looked behind him at their room. He hesitated for another moment, then took off after Dean.

"Well, what is it? Can I see it now?" his deep brown eyes sparkling in the fresh sunlight as he arrived by his brother's side.

"It's this way." Dean replied and strode off importantly into the trees.

Sam caught up with him and they walked together over the crunchy pine needles that carpeted the forest floor. Sam laughed as he watched his breath come out as clouds of white steam.

"Look Dean, we're steam trains!" he cried, and ran up ahead of his brother making chugging noises.

"Hey, wait up Sammy, it's this tree here."

Sam stopped and looked behind him to where his brother was waiting. He trotted back and looked at Dean expectantly.

"What is it Dean? What is it?" He was jumping up and down in anticipation and Dean laughed.

"Look up dummy!"

Sam craned his head back; staring blankly up into the green roof above them.

"You see it?" Dean asked gleefully.

"See what? I can't see anything, Dean. What if it's not there?"

Dean rolled his eyes at his sibling. Crouching down so he was eye to eye with Sam, he pointed up.

"See right there, on the longest branch. You find it?"

Sam squinted dramatically and searched the branches above. Suddenly he noticed something. He wasn't sure it was the thing that Dean was talking about, but he gasped and cried. "There! Is that it Dean? Right there!"

"Yup, that's it Sammy. It's a bird's nest, see?"

"I see it! I see it! It's all brown and twiggy!" the younger of the two cried, clapping his hands.

Dean laughed at his brother's wild description.

"And guess what Sammy? There might be eggs in there."

Sam stared Dean in wonder, eyes wide.

"Really? Whole eggs? Cool!"

"And you know what else? We're gonna go get them!"

Sam started. He looked at the tree, then at his brother, then back at the tree again.

"We're gonna climb all the way up there?" To Sam, the tree seemed very high.

"Yep. Its really easy, you just have to be careful and hold on real tight. Can you do it Sam?"

The younger Winchester looked up at his brother nodded determinedly.

"I can do it, Dean."

"Good on you Sammy. Quick, let's start before dad wakes up."

It was slow going as they climbed the tall pine. Dean was above Sam and had to stop and help him every time his little brother couldn't get any higher.

They finally reached the branch that was directly beneath the one with the nest on it.

Balancing precariously, Dean stood up and gently snatched the fragile nest from its rook in the branch. He brought it to his chest and eased himself down so he was straddling the thick branch with his strong legs. He looked at Sammy in triumph. His little brother was grasping the trunk for dear life, eyes squeezed shut.

"D-Dean…its real high up here."

"Oh come on, scaredy-cat. Look," he motioned to the nest clutched in his hand "there might be something in here."

Sam's eyes moved from his brother's face to the nest in his hand.

"Come on, sit down like me. It's real easy." Dean assured him. He held out his hand.

Sam hesitated for a second, then began to shuffle along the branch, reaching for his brother's hand.

It happened in a split second.

Dean could see his fingers, millimetres from his brother's. There was a gasp, and suddenly Sam was slipping. Their eyes met as Sam overbalanced and tumbled off the branch. Dean screamed out in horror, and if it wasn't for his advanced reflexes he would have seen his little brother drop all the way to the ground.

Instead, he found himself hanging treacherously from the branch, his short legs wrapped tightly around the wood.

Hearing Sam whimper, he looked down to where he clutched his brother's hand in his own.

"It's ok, I've got you Sammy." He grunted.

Glancing down to the ground, Sam let out a terrified sob. He was hanging about eight meters from the floor, and knew that if he fell – as well as smashing into the other limbs on the way down – he would hit the ground hard.

"Dean, help!" he screamed, panic setting in.

Dean cried out in warning as his little brother began to kick, jerking him off the branch he so desperately clung to. Knowing his brother was beyond the point of Dean being able to be calm him down, the older of the two acted on instinct.

Seizing Sam's wrists with both hands, he jerked his little brother upwards using all of his strength.

"Grab on!" he screamed in desperation as Sam was propelled upwards to the bough.

To Dean's relief, Sam wrapped his thin arms around the branch as soon as he was close enough.

He didn't spare a thought for his aching limbs; instead Dean pulled himself back into a sitting position on the branch and held onto Sam's arms.

Groaning, he hoisted his sibling up further; attempting to bring him all the way up so Sam could scramble onto the bough.

Although he tried his hardest, his ten year-old arms only got Sammy up halfway.

Sam was now still dangling scarily from the branch, his small arms looped over the top.

"Dean!" he shrieked in renewed terror "I'm slipping!"

Panting, Dean clutched a handful of Sam's jumper behind the neck.

"You're not goin' anywhere Sammy."

An exhausted sob broke from Dean's lips as he realized just how quickly Sammy was losing his grip.

In a moment of desperation; he swung down off the branch, holding on with only his legs and one hand.

Displaying incredible strength for a ten year-old, he grasped the seat of Sam's pants and swung him up onto the branch.

Sam grunted as his stomach and chest came into contact with the wood. He was safe.

It happened in a split second.

The momentum of Dean's sudden movement caused his legs to weaken for an instant. Sam looked around to see his brother's ashen face, eyes wide with shock as he lost his grip. Dean gasped final words before he vanished from Sam's sight.

"Hold on Sammy…"

Sam let out a high pitched scream as he glimpsed his big brother plummet towards the earth.

He looked down in terror and he heard a nauseating crack as Dean's arm smashed into a branch on the way down. The older Winchester screamed out, feeling pain explode in his wrist as he hurtled through the air.

Through the matter of sheer luck, Dean didn't hit any more limbs on the way down. But he hit the ground hard, a strangled scream erupting from his throat as pain wrought his young body.

Through the haze of pain, Dean dully registered hearing Sammy crying his name and when he opened his eyes; through his tears he could see Sammy scrambling down the trunk as fast as possible.

"Dean!" Sam cried from the branch. He searched through the thin pine branches and could faintly see his older brother lying on the ground. He wasn't moving.

He screamed out again, but when he got no response he decided it was time to move. Lying on the limb and hugging it to his chest, Sam shimmied along until his head bumped into the trunk of the tree. He sighed gratefully and began to make his way down to his brother.

Sliding faster and faster, little Sam could feel the splinters embedding themselves in his soft skin. He began to cry from the both the pain in his hands and in fear for his brother.

He finally dropped to the ground, tumbling onto his side.

Sam scrambled over to Dean.

"Dean? Are you ok?" he sniffed fearfully.

Dean's eyes flickered open and he focused on Sam, a fresh wave of tears unleashed.

The younger brother looked at his brother's injuries. Dean's left leg was jarred out an odd angle, and there was blood soaking through his sleeve at the wrist.

"Does it hurt Dean?"

Choking on his tears, Dean gasped through clenched teeth.

"Yeah Sammy, its hurts like hell."

Sam whimpered. He didn't know what to do.

"Should I get daddy?"

"No, not yet. Wait for him to wake up. I can last that long."

Dean wasn't sure if he _could_ last that length of time, but their father had come back real late last night in a bad mood because the poltergeist he had been trying to destroy had got away. Not before smashing every window in the impala though.

The oldest Winchester didn't want to be woken by his sons because they had been climbing trees at five in the morning. And Dean didn't want to make his father mad. He just wanted to be a good son.

So instead of telling Sam to alert their father; Dean lay on the forest floor and bore the brunt of his injuries, Sammy snivelling quietly by his side.

After sitting next to his brother for a minute or so removing his splinters, Sam stood up and walked towards the base of the tree.

"Sammy, where you going. Don't leave me here ok?"

"I'm just going over here Dean." A moment later he was back in Dean's line of vision with something clutched in his hands.

"Look Dean. It's the nest." He half-heartedly held out the handful of sticks to his brother.

Trying to stay focused, Dean looked up at his brother and smiled weakly, despite the tears leaking from his eyes.

"So what's in there Sammy?"

Sam's face fell. "Nothing, just a feather and some poop."

Dean's mouth twitched upwards for an instant, a ghost of a grin.

"Sorry little brother. Next time I'll check before I fall out of a tree, so its not all for nothing."

Sam smiled.

"Are you feeling better Dean?"

"Shit no!"

The younger of the two gasped. "Dad said no cussing!"

"I'm sure dad wouldn't mind right at the moment, Sammy."

Dean raised his head, ignoring the pain that rippled down his spine. Seeing the base of the tree only a few feet away, he motioned weakly with his good arm.

"Hey Sammy, how bout helping me to the tree over there."

"I don't think you wanna climb it right now, Dean…" Sam mumbled, not understanding.

"No dumbo. I wanta lean up against it. The whole sky scene is getting dull."

Sam nodded slowly. "Ok Dean, what do you want me to do?"

"Just get behind me, and hold me up when I lean forwards, ok? Then help me move backwards to the trunk. You got that?"

With a determined look on his face, Sammy nodded.

"Alright," Dean sighed. "Here goes nothing…"

Using his uninjured arm, Dean pushed himself up of the ground, enough just for Sam to get his lanky arms under his armpits.

Dean gasped as another wave of pain shot through him, his arm collapsing beneath him. He would have fallen backwards if it weren't for Sam holding him up.

"Ok. Sammy, now pull me backwards. Ready? Go!"

"Right, let's go…" came the strained grunt from behind him.

With that, Sam began to heave and drag his brother backwards. Straining, the younger brother lost his footing a few times, but managed to keep his sibling relatively upright.

After what felt like hours to both sons, Dean had the comforting feeling of the hard wood behind his head. The movement across the ground had been excruciating for Dean, but he did his best to hide it as his brother did the best he could.

Sammy flopped down next to Dean to catch his breath.

"We did it Dean." He panted, wiping his forehead with the back of his hand dramatically.

"No, you did it Sammy." He replied, eyes closed. His back was feeling better, the previous crippling twinges had now reduced to dull throbs, and it didn't hurt him as much to breathe.

After failing in an attempt to stop the tears trickling down his face, Dean opened his eyes. He checked his other wounds. Afraid to look under his bloody sleeve, he concentrated on his legs. The first one he moved was throbbing and tender, but he was sure that there was nothing seriously wrong. His left leg left a lot to be desired. He tried to move it, but howled as a horrid sensation caused him to arch back in agony. It felt like someone was pushing his knee out of joint, and the pain swept right down to his toes and all the way up to his waist.

Sobbing quietly, he put his head on his good arm, hiding from the world.

"Dean…?" the older brother gasped in surprise as he felt a light pressure on his right thigh. He raised his head and came face to face with two big deep brown eyes. Eyes filled with fear and concern. His little brother had perched himself on Dean's lap.

"It hurts real bad Sammy…" He sobbed, lowering his face.

Sam reached his small hands up to his big brother's wet face and held it up. Trying to be serious and stern like their father, Sam looked into Dean's reluctant hazel eyes.

"You have to be strong. You have to hang in there Dean." He said in a mock-fatherly voice.

Dean smiled weakly, but tears continued to flow swiftly down his cheeks and drip from his chin.

Nothing else having worked, Sam resorted to the last option in his young mind.

He reached forward and wrapped his long arms around his brother's neck, holding tight.

Surprised, Dean didn't respond immediately. His initial response was to push his brother away; 'cause it wasn't cool for two dudes to hug. But another feeling occupied the first. Love. He slid his arm around Sam's waist and held him close. Dean buried his head in his brother's shoulder, sniffling softly.

_Present Day_

Dean let the wheel spin back into place under his fingers as he pulled out of a U-turn.

Still lost in thoughts and memories, he didn't notice his brother watching him silently from the seat next to him.

"Dean…?" Sam ventured.

The older Winchester blinked and glanced at his sibling.

"Yeah Sammy?"

"Firstly, it's Sam." He glared at his brother's challenging smirk before turning down the blaring music and continuing. "And…I dunno… I was just wondering what you were thinking about. You had that look again."

"What _look_?"

"The one you get when you're remembering stuff. Your eyes kinda glaze over and you do that little smile thing."

"Get real! I don't look like that!" Dean scoffed, but broke into a small smile despite himself. "Yeah? So what if I like to reminisce a little?"

"Hey, I was just wondering…that's all. No need to bite my head off…" Sam muttered and reached forward to turn up the music. Even though he hated his brother's taste in music, Sam would use any means to shut him up sometimes.

Before his fingers could reach the dial, he heard Dean speak. Just quietly, in a strange voice.

"I…well…hmmm…uhhmmm…look, don't worry…doesn't matter…" he mumbled, slightly embarrassed.

"No, what is it Dean?" he pressured. Despite the childhood they had, sometimes Sam liked to hear Dean's stories.

Dean sighed. _Great, now he's never gonna get off my back_...

He took a breath and kept his eyes trained on the road ahead.

"Thanks for the hug, Sammy." After a moment, he glanced over and he was met with a blank, confused stare.

"Don't worry. I didn't think you'd remember…" he said, absent-mindedly running his thumb along the thin scar on the top of his wrist.

He thought back again to that day…

They had stayed in each other's arms until their father had woken up and come outside, looking for them. Sammy had sprinted back to the room as fast as his lanky legs could carry him.

Before picking up his eldest son to take him to the hospital, John Winchester had inspected Dean's wrist. The bloody sleeve had rolled back to reveal the white tip of bone protruding from Dean's wrist.

The surgeons had reset the bone successfully, and all he was left with was a small white scar running from one side of his wrist to the other. Now it hardly noticeable, but Dean still knew it was there.

Sam watched his brother switch back into memory mode. _Now what the hell did that mean? When did I hug him? I don't remember anything._

He noticed Dean vaguely rubbing the thin pale line that crossed his wrist like a tight band. _That's the scar from when he fell out of the tree when we were kids…_

And then it hit him.

Sam's soft voice penetrated Dean's thoughts once more.

"Hey Dean? Thanks for showing me the bird's nest…"

Dean grinned, still watching the stretch of black bitumen before them.

"Yeah, well. That's the kinda great guy I am. Snapped wrist and all."

Sam just laughed and turned up the music.

IX


End file.
